There’s a certain romance associated with human power.You know the sort of thing – the bronzed noble savage, pulsating limbs, rippling muscles, incredible loads, and not even a whiff of nitrous oxide. Ooh, enough, enough! The reality – as any gap-year rickshaw pilot will tell you – can be very different. Pedal power can move surprising loads at modest speeds on the flat, but come to a hill and rolling resistance becomes the least of your worries…We regularly drag trailing loads of 70kg uphill to the Post Office, so we know a little about these things (and generally choose an electric bike for the job too).

Out of the blue, we had a call along the lines of the washing powder ads: ‘Would we swap all our regular cycles for a Cycles Maximus Pedicab?’ Living in hilly Somerset, the answer would have been a curt ‘No’, but this machine is rather different, because it comes with power-assistance – either a fairly conventional Heinzmann motor in the front wheel, or a much more exciting chassis-mounted Lynch motor at the rear.With this sort of assistance, rickshaws could be poised to strike out from the flat inner city to become practical load-carriers just about anywhere. It comes at a price, of course: £2,900 for the basic Pedicab or Cargo machine, plus £605 for the Heinzmann power-assist equipment (a great bargain, incidentally), or a healthy £2,095 for the meatier Lynch motor, making a total of £4,995 on the road. If that sounds a bit pricey, remember, we’re talking small van capability here, but without the fuel, servicing, parking tickets, congestion charge, taxation or compulsory insurance.

Despite grumbles from black cab drivers, the practicality of these machines is unquestioned in cities, but could a rickshaw provide practical day-to-day family transport?

Backgroundus

Cycles Maximus is the creation of Ian Wood, a Bath publican (owner of drinking establishments, for overseas readers).The HPV business started in a couple of lock- ups back in 1997, when Ian and business partner Tom Nesbitt set to work designing, and ultimately producing, a lighter, faster version of the classic rickshaw, or pedicab as they’re becoming known. In April 2001, the company moved to a 5,000 square foot factory unit, and notched production up a gear.Today, Pedicabs, and increasingly, Cargo trikes, roll off the assembly line at the rate of about one a week, making Cycles Maximus the biggest producer in Europe and very possibly anywhere outside the Third World.Total sales to date exceed 160, of which around 100 work in London, with smaller pockets in York, Edinburgh and elsewhere. Most of the Pedicabs are pedal-powered, carrying passengers over short distances, but Cargo trikes are more likely to include electric-assist and undertake longer journeys with bigger loads.

The basis of the machines is a neat tricycle chassis that can be adapted to carry loads of up to 250kg in the charming, but very practical ‘Cargo Box’, or up to three passengers in a conventional looking, but high-tech rickshaw body.With only three mounting bolts, the body units are easily swapped, and some machines earn a dual living: cargo by day, people by night. Not many Ford Transits do that.

Perhaps most striking at first glance is that nearly half of the trike’s 2.5 metre length is allotted to the rider.The business end – either Pedicab or Cargo body – fits neatly between the rear wheels, mounted as low as is practically possible above the central differential.There’s no suspension as such, but the bodies are rubber-mounted to give a degree of resilience.

The rolling chassis weighs 46kg, to which you must add 29kg for the Pedicab (27.5kg for the Cargo), and 46kg for the optional Lynch power-assist, making a total of 75kg un- powered or 121kg powered.To put this in perspective for cycling types, pedalling an empty un-assisted rickshaw is a bit like riding a tandem with an unproductive eight stone stoker on the back. No great problem on the flat, but hard going on hills.

Most of the Maximus trikes are fitted with SRAMs’ excellent 3×8 gear system – the combination of 3-speed hub and 8-speed derailleur being ideal for the purpose. Bottom gear is 14 inches – very low for a bicycle, but essential on a load-carrying trike.Without power assistance, this mega-granny gear just allows a reasonably fit cyclist to inch the trike up a 10% gradient with a three-child 80kg test load, but only the seriously fit need apply on a daily basis. Once over the top, low range takes you from 14″ to 40″, mid range from 19″ to 55″ and high from 26″ to 75″. If you can find the terrain, that’s high enough to spin up to a conventional bicycle speed.Typically, speed tops out in the 6-12mph region, but small variations in gradient can make a big difference.

Heinzmann-power

The batteries (twin on the Heinzmann, large single on the Lynch) intrude into the spacious Cargo Box, but not much

Hills present a major obstacle, pulling speed down to 2mph, one, or nothing, should you be unlucky or completely knackered. That’s where the Heinzmann motor comes in, feeding a little extra zest to the front wheel, as and when required. Designed to give a boost to a conventional bike, the motor can rapidly get out of its depth in the commercial trike world, despite being geared for 12mph, rather than 15mph. Hill starts are a particular challenge, because the stalled motor is being asked to grind slowly away with the sort of load it was never intended for.With 80kg on the back, we just managed to rush a short stretch of 15% (1 in 7.5), which is fortunate because it’s part of our driveway. A restart was beyond us.

The Heinzmann-assisted machine will tackle gradients of up to 8% at modest speed with a load in the 50-80kg range, but certainly not fully laden. Once speed falls below 6mph or so, the motor rapidly wilts, leaving you more or less on your own. If the load and/or terrain exceed these limits, you need something a bit hunkier.

Lynch-power

This is a much more sophisticated package – a top quality motor driving a layshaft via its own freewheel. Everything, from the wiring to the mechanical bits, is well engineered, and it needs to be, because the Lynch motor is a seriously powerful beast, designed for heavy commercial use.

Engaging the motor is dead easy.You start by turning an ‘ignition’ key, then feed power in with a twistgrip throttle.To stay within the electric tricycle legislation, Cycles Maximus has provided a torque-sensing switch, so power is only available when you’re pedalling, but you don’t need to be moving, so hill starts are easy. If pedal effort drops below a pre-set limit, the motor resets itself, and you have to pedal harder, wind the throttle back and start again – a good safety feature.

The motor is continuously rated at 250 watts, which brings it within current electric tricycle legislation, so the Lynch- motored trike doesn’t need an MOT, tax disc and all the rest.With a modest load and on modest gradients, 250 watts will keep you chugging gently along all day. Our motor was geared for a comfortable 9mph, but the gearing is up to you, provided assistance is not available above 15mph.

Hit a gradient and the Lynch motor grunts, hardens its note and climbs whatever you put in front of it.The steeper the climb, the more it buckles down and the more power it produces. For example, with Castle Cary’s 10% gradients, and loads of 50-80kg, speed falls to 7 or 8mph and power input from the motor hits 700 watts or so. But restart on a serious gradient with a full load, and power can peak at anything up to 3.3 kw, or nearly five horsepower…We can’t vouch for the accuracy of our test equipment at this sort of level, but the figures are of little relevance, because in everyday use, speed hardly ever falls below 6mph, or power above 1,500 watts.

Maximum power can only be used in short bursts, but it’s nice to know you can restart on more or less any gradient with more or less any load.This is particularly important with the Lynch motor because the heavy-duty layshafts and cogs don’t leave space for the SRAM 3×8 gear system, so you’re stuck with a standard Shimano Deore derailleur giving eight gears of (in our case) 21″ to 58″. Obviously, battery condition is something you want to know about – the Lynch is more likely to be carrying heavy loads in hilly areas, and it doesn’t have the gearing to get home if something goes wrong.

So what about that romantic human-power stuff? Well, it’s true that your puny efforts can begin to look a bit sad against the giant-slaying Lynch, but for much of the time the motor rests or hums gently, leaving a human-powered machine to delight the purists.

On the Road

For a bicyclist, the first, and rather unnerving, impressions are: (a) it doesn’t lean into corners, and (b), if you try to ‘lean-steer’ you will simply veer off the road. After a few minutes you get the hang of this, before being unnerved all over again on the first adverse road camber, because then it will lean and you can’t bring it upright.

Handling is merely a concept at 8mph, but rather more important at 30mph…

Some people recovered their composure fairly quickly, but it has to be said that others failed to adjust and were convinced they never would. Even if you master three- wheeled cornering, the conventional looking front forks can lead you to forget that you’re piloting a vehicle 121cm (48″) wide above the seat. Look over your shoulder to place the wheels through a gap and you’ll find that the Pedicab is three centimetres narrower down there… None of this applies to the Cargo variant, which has a lower, narrower body.

Another advantage with the Cargo is excellent rearward visibility, whereas the Pedicab roof is rather awkwardly at driver’s eye height. This turns out to be important, because unlike a bicycle – even a bicycle with a trailer attached – if you’re driving something 121cm wide at 8mph, motorised traffic soon gets grumpy, and they’ll be fighting to squeeze past.

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys winding up motorists, a Pedicab will give you enormous pleasure, but for cyclists more used to sharing the roadspace in reasonable equanimity, a long queue can be embarrassing. Other people’s jams cause problems too, so jam-phobics should stick to something more traditional. Once you’re stuck, you’ll be watching cyclists wiggle through the gaps and telling your passengers what a bloody nuisance they are, just like any other cab driver.

If you’re used to a bicycle, parking a 1.2 metre-wide three-wheeler sounds like a nightmare, but it’s easy.The Cycles Maximus is small by car standards, and with a bit of practice, it can be turned in its 2.5 metre length, enabling it to squeeze into impossible spaces. If you get boxed in by an ignorant motorist, the trike is easy enough to lift sideways – you can often get away with parking side-on too.

On the open road, the Lynch motor does its bit in the 6mph to 8mph region, leaving the rider to play with the top two or three gears. Maximum velocity depends how fast you can pedal – 12mph is easy, and 14mph is feasible if your passenger is late for work.

Once on a downgrade, speed climbs rapidly to 30mph plus – not bad going for the equivalent of a covered wagon. As one might expect, a vehicle with a drag coefficient of a large brick, sitting on three motorcycle tyres, doesn’t roll very well.We managed an average of only 9.2mph on our test hill, and at that speed wind resistance doesn’t have a great effect, so much of the blame must lie with the tyres and mechanical bits. Strangely, with the more streamlined weather shield fitted, rolling speed fell to 8.5mph, which suggests a massive increase in drag.

Handling is merely an esoteric concept at 8mph, but rather more important at 30mph.The rear wheels do exactly what you ask, but the single front tyre sometimes fights for grip on fast turns, causing mild understeer (ie, it threatens to go straight on). Push too hard, particularly when empty on an adverse camber, and the trike will lift an inside wheel, although a touch on the rear brake should get things back under control.

With a maximum gross weight of nearly half a ton, brakes are important and the same attention to detail applies here as elsewhere.The rear wheels are restrained by a pair of Hope hydraulic discs, which are very powerful, but without the surface area for prolonged use.With an empty trike, it’s easy to lock the rear wheels, and we achieved a maximum stop of only 0.38G unloaded. But there’s plenty more power available, so (up to a point) the greater the load, the more effective the rear discs become.

The front Magura hydraulic rim brake would be pretty effective on a bicycle, but on such a heavy vehicle, it struggles a bit.We managed a maximum stop of 0.39G using the front brake – this time the limit being brake lever effort rather than locked wheels. Heaving on both anchors results in an emergency stop of 0.6G, which is good, but not scintillating.The front brake comes with a little parking clip, which is essential, but not really up to holding a loaded trike on a gradient.

With hard use, the rear discs overheat very rapidly, although the brakes fail safe, progressively seizing on until the discs have cooled.This is unlikely to occur in central London, but it’s easily done in Somerset.The only answer is to think ahead and go easy on the brakes on long descents. Electric regenerative braking would put a bit of oomph back into the battery and ease the strain on the brakes – it’s being considered.

Equipment

The weather shield is a great favourite, but it increases wind resistance

For the driver, creature comforts are sadly lacking, but there’s a wonderful ding-dong bell to play with.We’d like to see a decent speedometer too, because E.T.A, current time, ride time, average speed, trip and overall mileage are pretty useful in a business environment.The load- carrying Cargo comes with a nicely engineered aluminium body and drop tailgate. If you know what a Euro Pallet is, the load area of 122cm x 90cm x 96cm will apparently accommodate one, but  batteries reduce the space a little on powered versions. Rain and prying eyes are kept at bay with a weatherproof hood, fastened to the body with velcro strips, while zips front and rear allow panels to be rolled up for access or ventilation.The cover is easy to remove too.

The Pedicab has a wider and more complex body.The seat is made of a ventilated rubberised material, which is useful, because it will get wet.The hood is generously proportioned and secured with velcro straps, making it easy to remove.The frame is mounted on gas-struts enabling it to tilt downwards – useful should you want to tip water off, but primarily designed so that vandals will fall off and do themselves an injury.

At low speed, the roof keeps light rain at bay, although water tends to pool on top, then sluice all over the driver on the first downhill, to the great amusement of passengers. For monsoon conditions, the weather shield hooks under the roof and more or less eliminates wind, rain and spray. But fitting is a five-minute job, so don’t wait for the rain to start falling.

Lights are adequate for city use – a pair of battery LED rear lights and a Nordlicht dynamo with Busch & Müller Oval front light. But on the wider Pedicab in particular, we’d like to see white/red repeater lights on the extremities, because it looks too much like a bicycle for comfort.The hefty 12 volt supply for the motor could be tapped to power much better lights too.We’d suggest optional rear-facing indicators and even brake lights. Car equipment is relatively cheap and very powerful.

Range

With supplementary bananas, the human-powered jobs will run all day, but the electric-assist batteries have a finite life.We only had a brief time with the Heinzmann-powered trike, but from our Heinzmann experience, we’d suggest 20 to 40 miles from the 984 watt/hour lead-acid batteries, depending on load, gradients and the amount the motor is used.The more powerful Lynch is a faster hill climber, with a smaller 828 watt/hour battery, so range is rather less. Around town, carrying modest 50-80kg loads, we achieved 17 – 181/2 miles, at an average speed of 7.7 to 9.3mph… heady stuff.

…the machine ambles up killer hills, even the 14% kind…

Daft wombats that we are, we couldn’t resist testing the Pedicab over the 171/2 miles of switchback roads and killer climbs, more commonly known as the A to B mountain course.With a good electric bike, this ride takes an hour and twenty minutes, but with a gross weight of over 300kg, including a realistic 100kg load – Alexander (43/4), Jeffrey (8), Alice (10), charger and tools – we were reckoning on a couple of hours.

As expected, the machine ambled up the killer hills, even the 14% (1 in 7) kind, at a steady 6-8mph, and we hit some wild speeds on the descents (31mph, would you believe). But a long trip of this kind can be soul-destroying work for the rider, because the motor only assists up to 8mph. At higher speed, you soon lose the will to live, speed drops back to 8mph, and the cycle repeats itself.

The Lynch motor comes with a sophisticated fuel meter, graduated in ten steps between empty and full, but it’s far from linear.The first light went out at 6 miles, the second at 9.7, third at 12.6, forth at 16 and 5th at 17.1 miles, within sight of journey’s end. That might sound like half a tank, but in fact there were only a couple of miles in reserve. Maximum range in hilly country, carrying 100kg, is 19 miles, but unassisted progress is so scary a prospect, that we wouldn’t recommend trips in excess of 15 miles or so.

Average speed turned out to be 10mph, giving a door-to-door journey time – including two punctures and a brief stop for refreshments – of two hours. Strangely, the trikes’ chunky 23-inch moped tyres proved particularly vulnerable to thorns.We say this because the machine was accompanied by the Greenspeed trike (on racy Primo slicks) and our Giant Lafree, neither of which suffered any harm. Both punctures were fixed with Tyreweld foam, although rather disappointingly, both were flat again by journey’s end.With the frame supported on bricks, tyre repairs are straightforward, although bicycle tyre levers might not be up to dealing with tough motorcycle rubber.

Thanks to a state-of- the-art German charger, recharging is reasonably quick: A 90% charge takes 41/2 hours, followed by a lengthy ‘trickle’ charge, completed in another four hours or so. Unfortunately, we set off after four hours, which took the machine only 121/2 miles.That’s much less than we expected, which might have something to do with the drag characteristics of the weather shield, which was fitted on the way home to keep the 100kg load cheerful.

…one cyclist transported three children in safety and comfort… that’s hard to do without a car…

If you haven’t ridden a loaded rickshaw up a 17% (1 in 6) gradient, let us try to set the picture.With a cyclist standing on the Note the battery under the seat. The motor is behind the differential pedals in the bottom 21″ gear, and two other adults and most of the 100kg load pushing behind, we just inched our way over the summit. In other words, it’s something you might want to do once in life, but never again.The last four flattish miles are lost in mists of pain.

To be fair, this is testing in extremis, and should not be taken too seriously.Yes, we had a few problems, but while the battery held out, one relatively relaxed cyclist transported three children a considerable distance in safety and comfort – something that would otherwise be hard to do without a car. In an easily graded city, Lynch-motor Pedicabs will run for a full shift, but carrying heavy loads in hillier areas, active duty can be two hours or even less.

Conclusion

It’s crazy, but the ridiculous Powershift Grants (see A to B 35) cannot be applied to a Cycles Maximus Cargo or Pedicab because, er, they have pedals. If you have a commercial or private use for such a machine and would like a hefty rebate on the purchase cost, we can only suggest you lobby your MP.

The Cycles Maximus machines successfully bridge the gap between the humble bicycle and diesel-fuelled delivery vans and taxis. Even the Lynch-powered machine is legally a pedal tricycle according to the latest interpretation of the rules, so it can go anywhere a bicycle can go (provided there’s room, of course) and park without risk of a ticket (although the police could presumably invoke the obstruction laws).

For commercial use, these machines make a lot of sense, and the electric options should help to spread the assisted-pedal power message.The Heinzmann gives a gentle push at a reasonable cost, and the Lynch – although expensive – has most of the capabilities of its smaller infernal-combustion cousins, but without the downsides.

We also think a community or local authority-owned machine would find all sorts of uses, including a daily school run.The Pedicab (Bike Bus in Alexander-speak) will transport three children in comfort, and the Cargo (Bike Van) could be adapted to carry four or even six small ‘uns, replacing a veritable fleet of motors. Over short distances, door-to- door journey times compare well with a car, and the young (and young-at-heart) absolutely love travelling this way.Why does everyone choose the dreariest way of getting children to school? Kids really don’t want to be strapped into a bulbous four-wheel-drive with tinted windows – they want to wave, shout at their friends and generally release a bit of energy. For smaller children, the Pedicab is the last word in cool transportation.

Coming from a bicycle background, we wouldn’t swap our vehicles for a Pedicab.True, we need a shed full of folding bikes, a trailer bike, child/luggage trailer and power-assisted bike, to achieve much the same thing, but these individual machines give greater flexibility, no parking hassles, and higher speed (almost double). But if we had several children – especially if we wanted to dispose of a second car – we would seriously consider it.The concept of travelling together as a family, and offering lifts to friends, relatives and passers- by, gave priceless entertainment.We’ll certainly miss the Bike Bus.

Specification

Cycles Maximus Cargo or Pedicab £2,900
Heinzmann power-assist £605 extra
Lynch power-assist £2,090 extra
Weight (unpowered) 75kg (powered) 121kg
Payload 250kg
Overall width (Pedicab) 121cm (Cargo) 118cm
Overall Length (Pedicab) 250cm (Cargo) 234cm
Gear range (non-Lynch motor) 14″ – 75″ (Lynch motor) 21″ – 58″
Battery type Sealed lead-acid
Battery capacity (Heinzmann) 984wh (Lynch) 828wh
Range (Heinzmann) 40 miles est. (Lynch) 19 miles
UK Manufacturer Cycles Maximus tel 01225 319414 mail info@cyclesmaximus.com web www.cyclesmaximus.com

Everyone loves the classic ‘Dutch’ bike – curvaceous, loaded with down-to-earth accessories and dead practical. Once upon a time, you could buy bicycles like this in Britain from the likes of Raleigh or Dawes, but the British cycle industry went all leisure- orientated, before disappearing up its own bottom bracket, so to speak, which means we have to import this sort of thing these days. If you want a ‘proper’ bike, you really have to go to Holland, Scandinavia or Germany, but there are a few mass-produced machines too.

…very little lateral rigidity. In fact,it’s almost in Bickerton country…

We’re reviewing a fairly typical machine – Giant’s oddly-named SuXes – a pun that presumably works in several languages. Launched in early 2002, it’s selling in reasonable numbers here, and much bigger numbers in mainland Europe, as one might expect. Price is a tolerable £300-£360, and the SuXes does everything you would expect a Dutch bike to do, and does it reasonably well, so what’s the problem? We’re going to commit a major sacrilege here and give it the thumbs down.You may not agree with all of our reasoning, but we think you’ll agree with most of it.

SuXes-full?

The SuXes is a heavy beast at 19.4kg (43lb), and that’s with an aluminium frame.The price you pay for quality, eh? Well, not in our book, as we shall see. For the moment, we’d just like to remind you of a similar Giant bike that weighs 22.2kg.Yes, the Lafree Lite is 2.8kg heavier, but it’s a ready-to-run electric bicycle, and in our book, one of the nicest electric bikes you’ll find.Whip out the battery, and the Lafree is over a kilogram lighter than the SuXes. Begin to see the problem? If you live in Amsterdam, you’ll no doubt be happy with a 19.4kg unassisted bike, but in Sheffield, Bristol, or bits of Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh or Exeter, you’d do better to choose the 22.2kg bike that sails up hills on its own, surely?

OK, it’s a proper traditional bike without power-assist, but all that weight has gone into making a sturdy, rugged frame that’s easy to propel and will last for ever? Not in this case.The SuXes has a step-thru ‘ladies’ frame, with twin ‘top tubes’ that sweep down towards the bottom bracket, then change their minds and head south to join the seat tube. It all looks very rugged, but there’s little lateral rigidity, in fact, it’s almost in Bickerton country. For those unfamiliar with the more flexible kind of folding bike, this means you can twist the handlebars by a couple of centimetres relative to the saddle. With a substantial load on the rear rack, it’s easy to provoke a ‘shimmy’, whereby the load swings left when the handlebars swing right, and visa versa… An entertaining party trick, but not very helpful when you’re trying to put some force through the pedals.We’d also be worried about frame life. Aluminium is a great material, but it has a relatively low fatigue strength, and constant twisting and flexing can be very fatiguing…

The SuXes comes with the Nexus 3-speed hub for £299, or the 7-speed for £359. Ours is a 7-speed – something we’re particularly grateful for, because with the weight and flexy frame, you need plenty of ratios. At 37″ to 90″ the ratios are on the high side, an impression not helped by the slightly soggy feel of the 7-speed Nexus. Get on a long downgrade with a following wind, and the SuXes will pelt along, but in mixed uppy-downy terrain, it’s a bit depressing. Again, no problem if you commute a mile or two through central Amsterdam, but this is not a bike for more serious mileage or serious hills.

For the first few miles as the cables settled in, the Nexus tended to miss the odd gear, but once adjusted, it ran like clockwork, and we see no reason why it should not function without a hiccup for years and years. Our only real grumble with the Nexus 7- speed is that wheel removal can be a bit tricky.

Brake Miscellany

…powerful brake applications are an acquired art…a brake limiter makes sense.

Like the pricier Lafree, the SuXes comes with Nexus roller brakes. Non-technical readers must forgive a technical digression at this point, because this device is aimed at you and it’s worth having a grounding in its function.We’ve mentioned roller brakes before, and gradually become less sceptical about Shimano’s rediscovery of this ancient technology.The brakes work by squeezing steel rollers against the inside of a rotating steel hub.The bad news is that heat is rather concentrated, so these devices tend to include a ‘disc’ to disperse it.The rollers can make some strange metal on metal noises too, but being grease-packed, are impervious to the effects of water and/or oil, so the braking effect is consistent in all weathers.

Rollers have a tendency to fierceness in operation, so Shimano fits a clutch, preventing the wheel from locking up when the rollers do.We’ve had experience of the IM50 version of this brake, which apparently has a clutch, but you’d never know.The SuXes is fitted with the IM40, and on this hub (recognisable by its smaller ‘disc’) the clutch operates at quite low force. Under severe braking, the rollers lock, the clutch slips, and you won’t find any more braking force however hard you pull on the lever.

Shimano markets the system as ‘anti-lock’, but don’t get carried away with the idea that it’s as sophisticated as a car or motorcycle set-up. From our tests on the SuXes, we’ve found that the clutches will slip with a brake force of .45G with a typical rider, which is too high to prevent the rear wheel locking (it locks up at .33G on a dry road), and too low to get the best out of the front brake in the dry (a good stop should hit .75G or more). In the wet, or when cornering and braking (never a good idea), the clutch would almost certainly fail to work before one, or both, wheels lock, sending you flying.

That said, we’re very much in favour. Really powerful brake applications on a two- wheeler are an acquired art anyway, so a brake-limiter makes sense for most riders, most of the time. It won’t prevent slips and slides, particularly in wet or icy conditions, but it should more or less eliminate that most dangerous crash – the locked front wheel, sending you sailing over the bars.Two slight worries – the clutch will overheat rapidly if abused, so don’t overdo it on Alpine descents, and the rollers tend to lock and unlock with a jolt, which should be harmless, but might just provoke a slide in marginal conditions. Otherwise, a great step forward in road safety, as a former Metropolitan Police commissioner used to say about a certain car tyre.

Hub-mounted brakes offer many advantages, including the elimination of rim wear (caused by brake pads working against the wheel rim), so lightweight alloy rims can be specified. But for some reason the SuXes has chunky stainless steel examples – quite attractive in a retro sort of way, but all adding to the weight. As elsewhere, the messages are a little confused: high-tech hub brakes and low-tech rims.Why?

Accessories

All the usual ‘accessories’ are standard, as one might expect on this sort of bicycle. But (mixed messages again), the quality of the components is not really up to the job. There’s no suspension, but standing on a pair of tall and relatively wide Michelin Transworld City tyres, the SuXes doesn’t really need it.These tyres look exceedingly retro (let us guess: they’re the latest thing?) and claim to offer a degree of puncture resistance. Considering the upright stance of the bike, rolling resistance must be quite good, because we recorded 15.2mph on our test hill, which is about as fast as upright big-wheel bikes get.

The skirt-guard does its stuff (oh, all right,, no one actually tested it wearing a skirt) and the Axa lock works a treat.The rack is built in suitably chunky Dutch style and would carry a friend with ease, but we were concerned about the rather small 5mm bolts, which are also too short to go right through the chunky aluminium drop-outs.With the added uncertainty of the flexy frame, we’d be wary about carrying more than 10kg on the rack.

The dynamo is our old friend the Joss Spaninga Wave (see Giant Lafree, A to B 27). It’s not humongously useless, but would come some way down most people’s Christmas list. Incidentally, we retested the rolling resistance with the dynamo lights on (why didn’t we think of this before?) and recorded a speed of only 13.8mph. If that means nothing, putting the dynamo on is rather like swapping a free-running full-size machine for a bicycle with mediocre 16-inch tyres – enough to annoy you if you ride a lot at night. At the rear, very sensibly, the SuXes has a battery LED, but it’s poorly made (we snapped the lens clips changing the battery) and has no clever features.

The chainguard is of the all-encompassing variety, assembled from a sort of jigsaw puzzle of plastic components. It’s the sort of thing an infinite number of monkeys would have no trouble with, but you could get very confused on a long weekend. It’s probably a bit frail too – part of the jigsaw puzzle was missing on ours, thanks to heavy-handed couriers. Mudguards are substantial (heavy in other words) but a bit marginal in length, so you’d probably want to fit front and rear mud flaps for all-weather use.

Conclusion

Would the SuXes make a wise purchase? We think not. If you lust after this sort of thing, there are literally thousands of old Raleighs and Rudges knocking around for virtually nothing, because those pre-1960s bicycles really were made to last several decades.You can buy a very useable roadster for £20 or less (we’ve been trying to off- load one for years), leaving a couple of hundred quid for new cables, an 8-speed Sturmey hub, modern tyres and decent lights. No plasticky bits, no wobbly frame, similar weight, and a nice wodge of change in your pocket.

At the other end of the scale, you could spend £880 and buy a Lafree – a bike that weighs much the same, but powers up hills.Yes, it costs more than twice as much, but if you commute anywhere remotely hilly, that could be the best £500 you’ve ever spent.

Would we suggest buying a modern ‘classic’ of any kind? We might, if it skillfully combined modern technology with old-style practicality, but the SuXes does not.

Specification

Giant SuXes 7-spd £360 (3-spd £299)
Weight 19.4kg (43lb)
Gears Shimano Nexus 7-spd
Ratios 37″ 43″ 49″ 58″ 67″ 78″ 90″
Saddle Height 87-104cm
Reach 45-49cm
Tyres Michelin Transworld City 37-622mm

UK Distributor Giant UK Ltd tel 0115 977 5900 mail info@giant-uk.demon.co.uk web www.giant-bicycles.com

Greater London’s alternative transport map, showing primary railway lines and key cycle routes

1. London Cycle Maps

Transport for London’s excellent cycle maps are essential equipment, whether you’re cycling, scooting or walking into the capital.The maps show official cycle routes in blue (these are of variable quality) and other recommended off- road and on-road routes in green and yellow – these are mostly chosen by London Cycle Campaign members and are generally safe, quiet and direct.

With some careful planning, it’s possible to travel miles across London without sharing road space with cars: Much of the cycle route from Paddington to Whitehall is now traffic-free, and it’s easy to patch together routes from back roads and cycle-friendly parks, just about anywhere in Greater London. British Waterways has finally agreed to allowed cycles back onto key stretches of the Grand Union canal, too.

There are 19 maps in all, covering the whole of Greater London, from the central zone out broadly to the M25. All are available free, although Map 10, covering the key central area, is currently being updated and reprinted, but should be available by the time we go to press.

Downside: Some official routes are poor, but don’t blame the map!
Stockists: Call TfL on 0207 222 1234, or at most cycle shops.

2. Folding bike

(Plus Tube/Rail/River Bus)

A folding bike should be top of your shopping list if you live in London, Greater London, or indeed anywhere else. For those relatively close to public transport, lacking secure cycle parking at home or work, or simply longing for a more flexible travel mode, a folding bike can change your life.The compact machines – in practice, that means Brompton,Airframe or Micro – can be carried on all (yes, all) Underground and mainline train services. If travelling in the peak, it’s worth investing in a bag or cover to avoid oily conflicts with fellow passengers, and it’s worth avoiding central zone tube stations. Most of these involve steps or lifts, and they can be very busy. But as a general rule, a folder allows you to forget the time-consuming hassle of changing from one Underground line to another, or from Underground to bus, because it’s usually quicker to nip out and pedal.

The advantages go on and on: In fine weather, cut out the Underground altogether and cycle home.When public transport fails, leaving passengers trapped, just nip onto the street and pedal home. Hardened motorists can carry the bike in the boot, then abandon the car in a quiet suburban street and pedal in – annoying for those who live there, of course, but cheap and effective.

As a general rule, a good folder, used sensibly with other transport, provides the fastest and most flexible solution to city travel. But which to buy? If public transport and parking space are not major issues, look at 20-inch machines, such as the Dahon range, a Bike Friday, or the Giant Halfway. Of the true compacts, the Micro is fine for occasional use, the Airframe remains an unknown quantity, the Birdy is best for longer commutes on indifferent surfaces, but the Brompton – born, built and refined in London – is undoubtedly the king for most commuters most of the time.

And finally, if you’re a member of the old school – 26-inch wheels, canvas panniers, good enough for grandad, and so forth – you might be influenced by the fact that the Cyclist’s Touring Club has recently elected a Chairman and Vice-Chairman who both ride folding bikes. How things change!

Downside: Folders are relatively expensive machines (don’t cut corners though) and it’s all too easy to become a folder bore (‘How long did it take you? You want a Brompton mate – through the park, two stops on the tube, ten minutes tops, whoosh!’
Stockists: London is the UK centre for folding bike dealers, with half a dozen specialists – see ads in this issue, or try the A to B stockists list on our web site.

3. Commuter bicycle

The Dutch Gazelle Impala - a fairly typical ‘proper’ bicycle

Of course they still exist! Chuck out that sad old Mountain Bike – the tyres are all wrong, it’s dangerous after dark and it absorbs precious energy like a sponge. Good sensible bicycles with lights, mudguards, racks and other essential equipment are available through a number of cycle dealers  in London and other cycle-friendly cities. For serious traffic- light credibility, go for a genuine Dutch, Danish or German roadster, but you may prefer something lighter and more sophisticated for the hilly bits. As a general rule, for journeys of up to five miles or so, a bicycle beats everything else hands down.

It’s well worth investing some proper money in a real commuter bike – quality components, suspension (optional) and a light, sprightly frame. Remember, there’s no longer any need to cut corners – £500 spent now will be back in your pocket in well under six months.

Finally, hassle your employer for decent secure under-cover parking. In the era of Congestion Charging, cyclists are the new gold card commuter aristocracy. Demand facilities! If you’re intending to ride to the station, cycle parking has improved a great deal in recent years, but few stations provide secure or covered parking. Another reason to do some lobbying, because thanks to the largesse of his Holiness the Mayor, money will be available, or at least, that’s the theory…

Downside: Bicycles are only allowed on specified rail and Underground services – see our ‘Bike/Rail’ web pages for details. Get a puncture, and you’re on your own.
Stockists: Numerous specialists sell ‘proper’ bikes, but surprisingly few are in London. Once again, A to B is a good place to start, but expect to visit York, Oxford or Cambridge.

…From the foothills of High Barnet to the craggy peaks of Purley…

4. Electric bicycle

Giant Lafree - well-equipped and light

London is situated in a bowl – flat in the middle, but progressively hillier as you travel north or south. If you live beyond Crystal Palace to the south, or Hampstead to the north, an electric bike could be a worthwhile investment. For journeys of more than five miles, journey times should beat all-comers, especially if you work in the congested central area. From the foothills of High Barnet, or the craggy peaks of Purley, you’ll save time, and lots of lovely money, by eliminating other modes altogether. Compared to a public transport season ticket, or Congestion Charge premium, you’ll be in profit in well under a year – electric bikes start at around £500, but expect to pay £1,000 for a good commuter machine. Running costs are generally more than a bicycle, but much lower than the other motorised alternatives.

Of the numerous good, bad and indifferent bikes on the market, only three really shine – the Powabyke, the Giant Lafree and the Heinzmann.The Lafree is well equipped, quiet and light enough to carry home on the train in an emergency, provided you avoid long flights of steps.The Powabyke is poorly equipped, heavy and brutish, but tough as old boots.When buses, cars, trains, mopeds and other bicycles are floundering in the snow, you’ll be at your desk as usual.The Heinzmann Estelle is a quality German machine (say no more, squire), with the marked advantage of recharging in two hours flat.

The electric-assist Holy Grail is a viable folding commuter machine, combining items 2, 3 and 4 in a single lightweight package.This remains some way off, but specialists such as Kinetics, or A goto B of Notting Hill, can supply something state of the art for a price.

Downside: Non-cyclists and cycle enthusiasts alike will accuse you of cheating.
Stockists: Springing up all over, but we’d suggest starting with the Electric Commuter Co, 1308 High Road, London N20, or the Solex Centre, 408 King’s Road, Chelsea, London SW10.

5. Walking

(plus bus/tube/train/river etc)

Used in conjunction with buses and other public transport, walking can get you a long way, reasonably quickly.This has to be the best way to appreciate London’s parks and green spaces and you can do it just about anywhere, anytime without upsetting officialdom. Most bus stops now display real-time info on the whereabouts and routes of buses – that doesn’t stop three coming at once, but at least you’ll be forewarned.

Downside: Somewhat reliant on the vagaries of public transport.
Essential Equipment: Transport for London publishes a free guide to bus routes in central London. Call 0207 222 1234 for a copy.

6. Moped

These days all mopeds have electric start and some sort of weather protection, with no gears to worry about – just ‘twist & go’.They are very light, easy to ride, and fuss-free. Most are two-strokes but there are a few quiet and economical four-strokes as well – 150mpg here we come! And if you’ve got a full car licence you can ride one straight out of the showroom with no need for further training (not necessarily a good idea). Out on the road, expect to be treated by other traffic as if you’re on a bicycle. Price? The cheapest Chinese imports start at £700, but expect to pay £1,200 upwards for a quality brand.

Downside: Parking can be a problem in some areas, and you’re subject to the all the usual traffic laws – drink/driving prohibition for you, MOT and tax for your wheels.
Essential Equipment: Insurance, plus helmet, waterproofs and gloves. Piaggio has produced a motorcycle parking map of London. Price £2.50 from Piaggio dealers, or telephone 0800 20 30 10.

7. Small Motorcycle/Scooter

Not all motorbikes are Harley-Davidsons, Ducatis, Triumphs or BMWs. Shame, but there it is. Seriously, there are lots of sensible, good value bikes out there, and all of them have the jam-busting abilities of two wheels with the speed of a car once out of town.The choice is really between fully automatic scooters (comfy, with built-in weather-protection and luggage) and basic 500cc motorbikes that cost about the same as a 250cc scooter – £3,000-£4,000 for a new one, but there’s lots of choice secondhand. Expect 50-65mpg on a 500cc bike, 75-85mpg on the scoot. For longer commutes, there’s nothing to compare for sheer convenience and fun.

Downside: As for mopeds, but more so. Essential Equipment: As for mopeds, but more so.

8. Micro-scooter

No, don’t laugh – they may be best known as children’s toys, but micro-scooters can be quite useful over short distances. If you’re faced with a walk of up to a mile (on reasonable surfaces) to the Underground station, scooting will get you there a lot quicker, especially if hills are involved, but watch those brakes in the wet…Their use is banned on railway platforms, but they appear to be legal in long passages and covered ways to and from station and Underground platforms. Get to work, and it folds up out of the way.

Downside: Limited range and dubious street-credibility
Stockists: Too numerous to mention

9. Powered micro-scooter

These machines are either slightly illegal or downright seriously illegal, depending which test case you’ve been following.You’re unlikely to get sent to the Tower on a first offence, but if you decide to travel this way, be prepared for a legal challenge of some description.The more civilised electric variant fills the gap between micro-scooter and bicycle – shortish journeys of one to three miles. Hill climbing is hardly sprightly, but with some muscle assistance, you should be able to get up most gradients. Look for a compact folding machine – if it’s too heavy or awkward to take on the Underground, it won’t be much use to you.

For the seriously potty brigade willing to set forth into the cut and thrust of city traffic at 25mph on three-inch wheels and/or upset their fellow citizens on the pavement, the petrol option exists. Other more or less hairy variants include skateboards and roller-skates (yes, really).

Downside: The Met may decide to impound your wheels for your own safety.
Stockists: Visit a micro- scooter outlet, wink and say ‘Got anything with a bit more poke?’.

10. Helicopter

Ideal companion for a folding bike, a helicopter is worth considering if time matters more than mere money. Landing fees at the not-very-central Battersea Heliport (yes, you’ll need the bike) range from a reasonable £75 plus VAT to £995 plus VAT for a Chinook. (Useful if you’re considering a military coup – and who isn’t these days?)

Unfortunately, ‘copter parking is very much at a premium, so you’ll also need a pilot to fly your machine back out and meet you again after work, for another £75, plus etc etc. Chartering might make more sense. For example, six commuters can charter an Augusta 109 for the day, for around £1,350 plus VAT. Commute time from Stansted Airport (or any useable landing field around London, come to that) is about 15 minutes.

Downside: Stylish, but a bit pricey
Contacts: Battersea Heliport tel 020 7228 0181. Charters (Air Harrods) tel 01279 660800

Bicycle shows – other than the purely leisure variety – are something of an endangered species in the UK. Major public events are almost unknown here, leaving the field open for a plethora of specialist shows. But these are mostly enthusiast gatherings, without the breadth of exhibitors or visitors you might expect at a big public show. Our own Folder Forums were typical, bringing together the entire (admittedly small) folding bike industry, but it’s more than four years since our last glorious shindig on the Isle of Wight, and things being what they are, a repeat event looks unlikely.

So when we heard that a new annual show was to be launched in London, and that it would not be built entirely around ‘personal fitness programming’ and the like, we took an interest. CYCLE 2002 takes place at the Business Design Centre – a small but delightfully formed venue in Islington, north London from 26th – 29th September. Should the show succeed, 2003 will be bigger and better. If it fails, the industry may have missed its final chance… the choice really could be that stark.

The entry list for CYCLE 2002 is by no means finalised, but here’s a snapshot of the stands we think will be of interest. Please note that the list is by no means exhaustive, and the information may well have changed by the time you read this. For the latest details, check the CYCLE 2002 website at www.cycleshow.co.uk

A to B Magazine

Stand A3

Ah yes, an essential stop-over for all visitors.We’ve booked a modest broom-cupboard fronting the cafeteria on Level Three to sell back issues of the magazine and a few knick-knacks and baubles. Do drop in for a chat – this is a rare opportunity for us to get out and say hello, and we’d love to see as many readers as possible over the four days.We may also display a few bikes from manufacturers who will not be at the show. And for anyone with more than a passing interest in folding bikes, electric bikes, or just bikes, damn it, our show seminars are not to be missed:

1) The History of the Folding Bike

Tony Hadland
Tony is a familiar figure on the folder circuit and author of just about every book in the field: The Moulton Bicycle, The Spaceframe Moulton and The Sturmey Archer Story.With the late John Pinkerton,Tony also co- authored It’s in the Bag! – still regarded as the definitive history of folding bikes in the UK.Tony expects to provide a slide show backed up with some real hardware – classic folding bikes, in other words. He’ll be available for questions and signed copies of his books will be on sale at the A to B stand.
AM and PM Friday 27th

2) The Future of the Folding Bike

Len Rubin

Visitors to the Second Folder Forum may recall Len’s electrifying performance at the Weymouth Pavilion in 1997. We’re flying him in from California yet again, and this time he’s agreed to provide two lectures on the future of the genre: gears, lightweight materials, sprockets, widgets and much else besides. Len is currently working with an aerospace company, developing a titanium- framed hub-geared bike, and this should make an appearance if it’s ready in time.
AM Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

3) Electric-assist Bicycles

Dan Hornby
Working for the Sakura Battery Company and market leader Powabyke, Dan is probably the UK authority on electric bicycles, with an unrivalled knowledge of where the industry is coming from and – following the closure of Yamaha Europe, and a number of bankruptcies – where it’s going…
PM Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th

4) Adam Hart-Davis

Adam will be a familiar face to UK television viewers, presenting his own history programmes and now fronting the popular science programme Tomorrow’s World.What the BBC won’t tell you is that Adam is that rare thing – a personality who actually rides a bicycle to get from Point A to Point B.
AM Friday 27th

Airframe

Stand M110

First conceived in 1976, the revolutionary Airframe folding bike went into production for a few short years in the early 1980s before being quietly withdrawn, following a number of relatively minor technical and managerial problems.

Thanks to the persistence of designerPM Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th Grahame Herbert, and the engineering know-how of Silkmead Tubular of Dunstable, it’s back, with the official launch taking place during the show.The manufacturer is claiming a weight of 10.6kg (23lb) complete with 4-speed hub, carrier and mudguards, and a folding time of ten seconds. Bikes will be available for test rides, and both Grahame Herbert and Colin Jarret of Silkmead will be on the stand.

Airnimal

Stand G46

Quite a hit with wealthier folding bike enthusiasts and billed as Britain’s answer to the Bike Friday.We can’t tell you much else, because Airnimal has never allowed us to test the machine, although they did once offer to write a test themselves! Not quite what we had in mind. Find out for yourself at Cycle 2002.

Brompton

Stand M26

For those who don’t know, the Brompton is generally accepted to be the folding bike for commuters, offering an unrivalled combination of folding and rideability.

Apart from a couple of appearances at the CTC York Rally, Brompton hasn’t taken a stand at a public show for some years.That alone makes this appearance interesting enough, but there’s quite a bit of new hardware on show for 2002, including the 6- speed gear system, and a number of consumer upgrades for older bikes, including a handlebar brace, battery lighting sets and numerous small but useful accessories.We’re also reliably informed that the stand will be fronted by Andrew Ritchie – designer of the bike, managing director of the company, and according to many a delighted rail commuter, well on the way to full Sainthood. He’ll never forgive us for that.

Like-a-Bike

More hobby-horse than bicycle – we liked the Like-a-Bike so much, we bought one. We’re holding a Like-a-Bike owners rally at our stand on the Sunday, featuring a mass cavalcade… assuming we can find enough bikes and owners. It might just be Alexander.We’re told there will be a free T-shirt for all participants, plus prizes. For confirmation, check with A to B.

Other Stands

At the time of writing, Powabyke will be demonstrating a full range of electric bikes including the new Commuter, on Stand M22, Mission will be showing the Space Genie folder on Stand M28, and Dahon will be on Stand M1. Pashley has yet to book. For the latest on stands, speakers and events, either call A to B on 01963 351649, mail us at a2b@onetel.net.uk or visit the CYCLE 2002 website: www.cycleshow.co.uk

Booking

Preview Day (Thursday 26th) is open only to press and trade.The booking hotline is 01923 690 648. For all other days, tickets cost £10 on the door, or £8 in advance, with a further 10% reduction for groups of ten or more. Children aged 5-16 pay £6 in advance, or £7 on the door, there’s a Family ticket for £25 in advance or £30 on the door. All these tickets can be booked on 0870 733 1022, or by visiting the CYCLE 2002 website.

How to get there

By Car

You’re joking, of course? We won’t even bother giving you motoring instructions because (a) neither we nor the Business Design Centre would suggest arriving by car, and (b) you’d be a fool to try. For the fools amongst you, ‘limited’ parking is available adjacent to the BDC for just £4.50 for each two hour period or part thereof.

By Train and Bicycle

You’ll find the Business Design Centre on the west side of Upper Street in the centre of Islington.The area is well served by cycle routes offering quick and relatively safe access to and from Euston/St Pancras/Kings Cross, Marylebone and Paddington stations. Liverpool Street,Waterloo and Victoria are a bit more challenging unless you know London reasonably well – if in doubt, order a free cycle map of Central London (Map 10) from Transport for London on 020 7222 1234.

The good news (possibly unique too) is the lure of free secure bike parking at the Business Design Centre, plus a complimentary Bike Health Check. Ooh, matron!

By Train and Tube

Head north on the Northern Line City Branch (that’s the right-hand loop on the tube map), and jump off at Angel. Emerging onto Upper Street, turn right and walk up the road for about five minutes – you can’t miss the venue, it’s quite large. From Euston/St Pancras/Kings Cross, it’s probably easier to walk straight there – about 15 minutes at a brisk A to B pace.

I went to a road safety conference the other day, and two things stood out. One, I was the only journalist there, reflecting the media’s disinterest in such a ‘worthy’ topic.Two, the conference was titled ‘Are We Still Failing?’, the point being that after several years of falling, road deaths have plateau’d at around 3,500 per year.

Not only that, but we seem as far away as ever (if not further) from a sustainable integrated transport policy. Despite the traffic calming, speed cameras and a high profile public debate, drivers still speed, congestion gets worse and Britain is more car dependent than it’s ever been.Among the assorted road safety officers, police and transport campaigner at that conference, the prognosis was one of almost unremitting gloom.

Lyn Sloman, determinedly cheerful Deputy of Transport 2000, spelt out what’s happened in the last few years. ‘A lot of the ideas which in the mid ‘90s were seen as barmy have now been accepted by councils and police authorities,’ she said. ‘But despite that shift, there’s very little sign that our roads are becoming less dangerous, largely because of the motoring backlash.’ How has this happened?

…this was serious… the Government was executing more U-turns than a London cabby…

In the ‘80s, we had Mrs Thatcher’s ‘Great Car Economy’, and the ‘greatest road building programme since the Romans.’ Traffic calming schemes caused a terrible furore, with a generally hostile media doing its best to rubbish the whole idea.The public mindset always seemed to put cars first. In a previous life as a motoring journalist, I wrote an article about traffic calming, and asked one pedestrian with a pram what she thought of some newly installed road humps. ‘Hmm, well, they could damage the cars, couldn’t they?’ Her first thought wasn’t for her own safety, but that of the cars! How things have changed. Since then, traffic calming has become part of the scenery, and in the way of these things, most people seem to have accepted that it’s here to stay.

Oddly enough, it was under the Tories that transport policy really began to change. Having a medical doctor as Transport Minister was a good start, and sure enough, Brian Mawhinny was the man who introduced smoke testing for diesel cars and vans. A Conservative Chancellor introduced the fuel tax escalator, which increased tax by a minimum of 6% every year. Public attitudes were changing too. In 1993, the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring put the following statement to drivers: ‘I would use my car less if public transport were better’ – 37% agreed, and by 1997 that was 45%.

In this climate, Labour swept into power promising an integrated transport policy. The following year, a transport White Paper admitted for the first time that traffic growth had to be curbed. Even the Department of Transport had apparently accepted the notion that more roads generate more traffic – the Whitehall equivalent of perestroika.The times really were a-changing, or so it seemed.

But then it all began to go pear shaped. Lorry go-slows on the M25 protested at fuel tax; the media (in particular the tabloids and car magazines) became vociferously anti- integration.We were seeing a full scale motoring backlash. No matter that motoring was as cheap in real terms as it had ever been, or that in European terms, UK motoring taxes were about average – the facts didn’t enter into it. It all culminated in the nationwide fuel protest of August 2000 – queues at the pumps and a full blown crisis.

Now this was serious. Faster than you could say ‘the beleaguered British motorist has finally had enough,’ the Government was executing more U-turns than a London cabbie. The fuel duty escalator got the chop. As a sop to the road hauliers, 44 tonne lorries were allowed into Britain. And the roads programme was reinstated, at least partially. All this against a background of railway disasters, and bus deregulation that wasn’t delivering. It’s not over yet either.The Government has now backpedalled on speed cameras. By the end of June, all had to be coloured bright yellow, and new cameras could only be installed where there had been at least four deaths or serious injuries – the words ‘bolted’, ‘stable’ and ‘door’ spring to mind.

And it looks like public opinion and practice really has swung back the other way – in 2001, only 36% agreed with the RAC’s transport statement. In other words, drivers are less receptive to public transport than they were in ’93. Meanwhile, traffic has continued to grow and cycle trips are actually falling, which makes the official aim of trebling cycle use by 2010 look like a sick joke.

So, after a brief window of opportunity in the late 1990s, it’s now back to doom and gloom. Or is it? ‘There is public support for congestion charging,’ says Lyn Sloman, ‘but only if the money goes straight into public transport.’ No one is better placed to do just that than Ken Livingstone, and he’s made it clear that this will happen with his £5 congestion charge. If it works, other cities across Europe are poised to follow suit.

Even if it doesn’t, some changes from the ‘90s really have stuck. After a decade of use, traffic calming now has widespread acceptance – I think the same will happen with speed cameras, eventually. Remember, Barbara Castle became a motorists’ hate figure when she introduced drink-driving laws, but who argues against those now?